Filing device



May 3, 1927.

R. M. SMITH FILING DEVICE Filed May a, 1923 Patented May 3, 1927.

RITTENHOUSE M. 'SMITHjOF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

FILI'N-G when.

Application filed May 8,

This application, which a continuationin'part of my application Serial Number 535,453, relates to a filingdevice forcards to 'be indexed. according to subject matter and specifically considered consists 111 1 improved means for sustaining in proper "position the partitions in a device of the i 'kind illustrated in my copeuding applicat'ion, Serial No.;403,906, filed Aug. 16, 1920,

although its uses are not limited to that particular tormof-device. It consists in a s1ngle construction easily appliedto card containers which securely holdsthe dividing members or partitionsin position preventing-longitudinal' and vertical movement thereof or side tipping or accidental lateral movement while permittingitreei intentional lateral -movement of r the partitions. The

novel featureswill be more fully understood from the following description and claim.

taken with the accompanyingdrawings. In

- the'drawings: I

i a rectangular container or shell consisting Figure 1 is a perspectiveview ofa card container having any =-1I1V6Ilt1011 applied thereto; i a Flgure 2 1s a longitudinal vertical sectlon on the planeindicated by line 2-2-in Figure l; and

Figure 3 1s a sectional view showing 'de-' tails of a modified form. i 1 Referring to the drawings it will beseen that the filing device is shown as comprisin g i of the four sidemernbers or walls 15, 16,17

- spaced parallel members onbars 20, the

and 18,-the upper sideof this shell being open. Preferably the lower side of the shell is closed as by a backing l9, although this spaces between the same being indicated by the numeral 32. Inthe form offlthe invention shown the grid isheld spaced from the lower edges ofthe shell by the spacing blocks 22: It will be obvious that the filing device may be constructed withrspacing blocks of various sizesfso as to position the grid as desired relative to the lower edgesof the shell. Any suitable means may be provided for holding the grid-against movement toward Y 1 the top of the shell. As'shown for this purpose fiatmembersQ? are secured to the sides 16 and 15 011 the interior thereof.

'With the present invention the cards may be filed inaccordance with two kinds of data.

1923. Serial No. 637,553.

To this end two series of index characters are provided, being-disposed at right angles to each other. Preferably oneseries'ot' characters is disposed to extend in a direction at right anglesto the bars 20 of the grid while the other series of characters extends in a direction parallel with saidxbars. iThis lat ter series of characters is carried on the movable partitions 24 disposedwithin the con- 'tain'er parallel to the first-mentioned series of characters. As shown, each :ot' the partitions 24 carries a character of the; series, such as a letter of the alphabet, the tab 25 at the upper edge of the partition being provided for this purpose." If desired, two of these tabs may be positioned oneach'partition on opposite sides of the oen'terof the partition. One or more of thesepartitions may also carry the other series of. characters disposed adjacent its upper edge. rTlnis as shown, each of the partitionscarries the-characters 29 consisting of the days of the "month and series of characters spaced the same as on the partitions.For-this purpose the char acters' 29 are disposed on a strip secured against the upper edge of thesai-dside. The strip is secured to the-upper edge of the side by the channel-shaped strip 26,- a suitable slot 28being provided in this latter strip so that the characters will be visible. ;As shown the channel strip 26 is securedto the side in anysuitable'manner as by the brads 27.

Asfully explainedin the copending ap plication above noted,the cardsused in the container shown are similar to-each other and are-of special construction to adapt them to remain in adjusted'position indicating by that: position the nature of the matter on them in two particulars, one of those cards being shown in Figure 1 marked 33. Since, however, thepresent invention does not relateto the structure "of those cards or their cooperative relations to the other-parts of the" device detailed description is not here necessary.

It will be noted that the division plates or partitions are not secured to the ends of the shell or container or to the grid on which their lower edges rest andfrom which they extendupwardly at right angles. -They fit longitudinally inthe shell or container and are adapted to be moved laterally toinorease or decrease-the width of the column for ltlil cards between them and the walls of the container or each other. The present invention relates particularly to novel means for properly holding them in position and adjusting them. That means in the specific form shown includes a pair of similar rods 34 passing through the wall 16 near its ends and through the partitions 24 and entering sockets 35 in the opposite wall 15. They are placed at the ends of the walls and partitions so as to leave the central portion of the container unobstructed and not interfere with the proper placing of cards in series. They furthermore preferably pass through the partitions approximately midway between their upper and lower edges so as to balance the strain. Each rod has a slightly enlarged screw-threaded portion 36 near one end adapted to engage internal screwthreads in a bushing 37 secured in an opening in wall 16 whereby the rod may be freely passed through the threaded opening in the bushing until its inner end is at or near wall 15 when the screw-threads on the rod and bushing will engage and turning the rod will then cause it to move gradually inward until its inner end is in the socket and lateral movement is thereby prevented. The turning of the rod may be accomplished through a suitable key or hand-hold 38.

In the circular openings through the di-. viders or partitions 2% for the rods 34 the cylindrical short pipe-like sleeves 39 are placed preferably projecting equally from opposite sides of the partitions as shown. They have interior diameters slightly greater than the diameters of rods 34: whereby they may be freely moved along said rods with a sliding action when it is desired to move the partition laterally. Each sleeve is securely held in place in its opening in the partition by any suitable means as by collars 4-0 secured on them and having radial flanges fitting against and secured to the side surface of the partition. It will be observed that the rigid rods cooperating with the sleeves of the partitions furnish a sliding bearing surface of material length at the ends of the partitions about midway of their height which will effectively hold them and their index data in the same longitudinal position with ref erence to the container walls and the index data carried thereby, preventing either end from moving up or down out of place and holding the partitions always parallel to the side walls with which it is desired that they shall be parallel preventing one end from moving laterally without the other and holding them always in upright position at right angles to the rods and the supporting grid. The structure is such that any pres sure against them at any point unless applied intentionally, simultaneously, equally and in the same direction longitudinally of the rods at both sleeves, will not have the effect of moving them to any appreciable extent out of the desired position. This is because if the pressure is above or below the line between the sleeves the tendency would be to tip the partition to a different angle from a right angle to the rod and the close fit of the sleeves would not only prevent this by end contact with the rod but would by gripping action interpose frictional resistance to side movement which would increase as the pressure increased. This same result would happen if the side pressure happened to be on the center line but not so positioned as to transmit the moving force to the two sleeves equally in the same direction laterally. On the other hand it is an easy matter for the user of the device to move a partition laterally when desired by simultaneously pressing in the same direction longitudinally of the rods on the two sleeves of the partition or on the partition itself on the center line on opposite sides of each rod. In thus moving the partition he does not have to use special care to maintain it in vertical or proper longitudinal position or parallel to the side walls since the structure constituting the present invention automatically does that.

Although for brevity and convenience in the use of terms for the purpose of distinction and identification of parts the open side or end of the container is referred to as the top or upper portion and similar terms of reference are applied to its parts, it is to be understood that they are not intended in a technical sense since the invention is obviously not confined to the use of the device with a particular side or part uppermost. Furthermore, although a particular embodiment of the invention is shown for purposes of illustration it is not confined to that form beyond what is particularly indicated in the attached claim.

For instance, it is not necessary to c011- struct and assemble the partition and sleeves in the manner described, but the sleeve 39 may be formed integrally with the partition 24 by punching or pressing the sleeve from a metal blank of which the partition is made, as shown in Figure 3, or in any other suitable manner.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a device of the class described, the

combination with a rectangular container for cards, of a laterally movable rectangular partition in said container l011gitudinally parallel to two sides, a pair of guide rods parallel to each of the other two sides, said guide rods passing through said partition within its rectangular outline intermediate its top and bottom edges, one of said rods being at each end of the partition, the

said rods being stationary in normal use, prevent longitudinal movement of the parand said partition having a pair of sleeves .tition thereon when the partition is canted 10 secured at right angles thereto through slightly from a position at right angles to which said rods pass, said sleeves having an said rods.

opening therethrough of slightly larger di- In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my ameter than the diameter of said rods and signature.

being of such a length that the ends of the sleeves will frietionally engage the rods to RITTENHOUSE M. SMITH. 

